A mail carrier in Lowell attempted to bribe his supervisor to be part of a scheme to help distribute cocaine in the mail with cash hidden inside a Dunkin’ bag, officials say. However, the bribe didn’t work.
Soon after the bribe, the supervisor contacted authorities, United States Attorney Rachael Rollins’ office said.
John Noviello, of Nashua, New Hampshire, was charged with one count of bribery of a public official and one count of distribution of cocaine.
Rollins’ office said the 61-year-old approached a U.S. Postal supervisor in February to ask for their “assistance in a scheme to divert postal packages suspected of containing cocaine.”
He first offered to pay the supervisor $1,750 per kilogram of cocaine that was successfully obtained from any diverted packages, according to a statement. Then on Feb. 17, Noviello left $850 in cash, which was concealed in a Dunkin’ bag, inside the supervisor’s vehicle as a way to encourage the supervisor to agree to the scheme, the statement read.
The scheme, according to court documents, involved intercepting packages and successfully diverting them. If questioned by the customer, Noviello told the supervisor to tell the customer they had to come to the post office with an identification and to provide “more information” before the package could be released.
Noviello told the supervisor he had been running the same scheme with another supervisor for 15 years and that “he pays for his second home with money from the scheme,” court documents state.
Officials said Noviello later commented to the supervisor, “that was a nice envelope for starters.”
But the supervisor had contacted authorities.
While recording, the supervisor told Noviello he was worried about “getting involved where a recipient may eventually receive an empty box without drugs in it,” court documents read.
“You know how many times I’ve had f— five gang members at the door? And it’s an empty package I give them, you know how many times I’ve done that? Like f—- 30 times,” Noviello said, according to court documents.
In April, the supervisor worked with the authorities to purchased about four grams of cocaine for $200 from Noviello, according to officials.
Officials said the sentence for a charge of bribery of a public official can be up to 15 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. And the charge of distribution of cocaine provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of $1 million.
Noviello was released on conditions following an initial appearance in federal court in Boston on May 12.
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